Another strike against smokers

A major apartment fire this week in Raleigh, North Carolina, is caused by discarded "smoking material" according to investigators quoted in the following news item. This points out yet another significant reason to work toward reducing or eliminating smoking. This again underscores the view that smokers just don't care about others around them and do careless things like throwing out cigarette and cigar butts without concern for the consequences.

The following is from a story line in the News and Observer...

February 24, 2007
News and Observer

Barbara Barrett and Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Staff Writers

'Smoking material' blamed for blaze
Dozens forced to flee and leave their possessions return to find ashes, rubble, investigators -- and condolences

RALEIGH - Investigators said Friday that a cast-aside bit of "smoking material" ignited one of the worst conflagrations in Raleigh's history, a five-alarm fire that wiped out a budding townhouse community and left 26 families homeless.

Residents returned Friday to the charred remains of their sofas, photographs and shoes, and wrestled with the unsettling reality of their homelessness.

"It's bad when you wake up in the morning and you don't have underwear to put on," said Ryan Richardson, 24, as he waited to get back into his townhouse. "Everything, you take for granted. You automatically get up, take a shower, shave. You can't do that anymore." Read more...